The Art of Healing
by kaktus0-0
Summary: No one has heard from Ash in months, but who would think twice about it? When a mysterious invitation makes its way to many of his cohorts, they question his safety. Set 13 years after Ash first begins his journey, things have changed for the friends and rivals. Has Ash gone insane? Will everyone be able to set aside their differences for long enough to find out? Multiple pairings.


**Welcome!**

**I don't own Pokémon or anything here. Well, except for everything I just wrote.**

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Full Summary:

_No one has heard from Ash in months, but who would think twice about it? He was still on his journey to become a Pokémon Master, after all. Suddenly, a mysterious invitation makes its way to many of his friends and rivals, causing them to question if something's gone wrong. Set 13 years after Ash first begins his journey, things have changed for the friends and rivals, whether good or bad. Has Ash gone insane? Will everyone be able to set aside their differences for long enough to find out? Multiple pairings (Contest, Ikari, Poke, GaryxLeaf). Rated T for minor language. _

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**May 20, 2008: The Wallace Cup; Sinnoh**

"I-I just can't believe it- Solidad's Lapras is unable to battle! The victor, and our newest Top Coordinator, is Drew!"

The 21 year old coordinator's breath hitched in his throat, unable to believe what he had just heard.

He had finally done it.

He had won a Grand Festival.

He was a top coordinator.

_Breathe…_he reminded himself as he forced air into his lungs.

He had so much to do, so many people to thank…

He forced himself to shake all that from his mind and smiled at the audience as he approached the pink haired coordinator cautiously. Solidad was one of his best friends and mentors; Drew wasn't sure how he should respond, or how she would respond. The two Top Coordinators reached the center of the ring. Drew offered his hand in a friendly manner; however, Solidad pulled him in for a hug. At 5' 10", Drew had finally passed up Solidad in height (which he never let her forget, just like how she never failed to remind him that he cried at his first loss). The pink haired coordinator pulled away and smiled at the new Top Coordinator. She pulled him in and whispered "I'm so proud of you-I'll see you later," then pulled away.

For the first time in years, Drew felt himself smile-truly smile. All the years of training and losing and winning-it was finally worth it. He looked up into the stands as the applause began to die down, hoping to see some friendly faces. He smiled; up on top was Dawn, and Zoey, who had given him a run for his money-she was _strong_. Continuing to scan the audience, he saw Harley, but his smile faltered when he realized that the one he was looking for wouldn't be there. Drew already figured that May wouldn't show up, but he couldn't help hoping.

As soon as Solidad walked backstage, the arena flooded with cameras and reporters begging for the new Top Coordinator's attention.

Drew had to admit, it was rather overwhelming.

"Do you have anyone you want to thank?" a small, young reporter gently prodded before she got overrun by the others. This was the only question Drew wanted to answer; he pushed through the horde and found her, and stated "First off, thanks to my Pokémon, especially Roserade and Butterfree. I'd also like to thank my mentor and good friend, Solidad, for guiding me through my journey as a coordinator. Thanks to my late mother for everything she's done for me…" Drew pursed his lips for a moment before he gave one last thanks. "And thanks to May Maple, for being my rival. I wouldn't be here without any of you guys."

That seemed to satisfy the young reporter. She jotted down a few quick notes, muttered a quick "Thanks," and escaped the horde of prying eyes.

Drew stood hopelessly in the center of the crazed reporters, hoping that they would get hungry or something and just go away. He sighed.

"_This is what I get for winning this ."_

The festivities commenced a few hours later. After finishing his press conference and dodging the fangirls that had decided to surround him all night, he finally found solitude and Solidad.

"How's it going?" Drew asked nonchalantly as he approached Solidad, unsure of whether to sit or not. A simple welcoming nod let him know it was alright. Solidad smiled warmly as he took a seat next to her. "So, how's all of the attention, Mr. Top Coordinator?" she teased as she took a sip of wine. Drew rolled his eyes, simply shaking his head. Solidad smirked. "Thanks for the shout-out, by the way. I really am proud of you, although I am a little upset with myself. It's about time you beat me," she said, prompting a chuckle from the both of them. "On a more serious note," she stated, "I know your mother would be proud, and I think May would be too."

Drew frowned.

"Speaking of May…" he mused, "have you heard from her lately?" Solidad shook her head uneasily. "I thought you were keeping in touch with her," Drew stated, almost accusingly, eliciting a glare from the older woman.

"I _have_ been," she nearly growled, "but she hasn't written in a couple months, and I haven't been able to get a hold of her. I'm kind of worried…" Solidad sighed, fidgeting anxiously.

Drew shrugged. "May's a big girl; she can handle herself" he responded defensively to Solidad's dismay. "Drew," she said carefully, "you haven't talked to the girl in almost what, five years?" This elicited a slow nod from the young adult, who replied "Well, I did send her a letter after she quit, but I haven't gotten anything back." He shrugged. "It's not like I haven't thought of her. I just haven't had the time to go and check up on her."

"Exactly. You have _no_ _idea_ what that girl's been through, Drew." Solidad retorted accusingly. "Of _course _you thought of her," she mumbled, her nearly hostile expression disappearing, causing Drew to become flustered. "What?" he snapped, not liking the smug look on her face. Solidad shrugged knowingly. "You should go see her," she mused, carefully watching Drew's face for the reaction she knew she was going to get.

The incredulous look on Drew's face made Solidad laugh lightly. "Oh, come on Drew—it wouldn't be the _worst _idea in the world," she continued. "The timing's perfect-May's semester must have ended recently, and you just won the Grand Festival, and your Pokémon could use a break. Drew, you haven't seen her in years." she said gently. Drew sighed. He really did miss her happy-go-lucky attitude.

As weird as it was to admit it, May had probably had the biggest impact on his career. She was a ray of sunshine; a whirlwind of a character, and, he had to admit, had turned into hell of a coordinator.

And she smelled kind of good.

And was kind of cute.

"Drew," Solidad said hesitantly, interrupting his thoughts. Intrigued, he turned his gaze to the older coordinator. "I want you to know that a lot has changed since you both met. May's had a rough couple of years since her mom passed. I don't want you going in with false expectations."

Drew rolled his eyes. "Solidad, I haven't even agreed to going."

"But you were thinking about it," Solidad countered knowingly, prompting a tinge of red to spread across the young man's face. "And," she continued, "I know you're expecting the happy, snappy rival that you had feelings for, but things have changed. May's changed."

Solidad pursed her lips and looked sympathetically at Drew, who again, rolled his eyes.

"Solidad," Drew stated matter-of-factly, "I was 16. I didn't even know what feelings were then."

It was Solidad's turn to roll her eyes. "Yeah, right," she muttered. She shook her head. "Anyways, if you ever decide to visit her, I have her address. You should too, since you supposedly wrote a letter to her."

Solidad shot a look at Drew, who just yawned in response. "I think I'm going to turn in for the night. It's been a long day," he said wearily. "Sure," Solidad replied skeptically. Drew always found a way to duck out of conversations he felt uncomfortable in. As he walked away, she remembered her original reason for stopping him.

"Hey, Drew?" Solidad added. The coordinator turned around only to be handed a fancy envelope. Furrowing his brow, Drew looked at the letter to see that it was from Ash Ketchum.

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**May 22, 2008: Goldenrod City**

"Fetch!" Leaf yelled as she threw a stick across the yard. She giggled as she watched the dopey young Zigzagoon run after the stray stick. This summer, Leaf had found her home in the Pokémon Shelters. After the semester at Goldenrod University ended, the 24 year old didn't fail to keep herself busy. She found that a few hours playing fetch with a Zigzagoon provided to be more fun than just sitting idly.

Not that Leaf knew how to sit idly. As soon as she'd entered the prestigious Goldenrod U, she enrolled for so many extracurricular events that she couldn't keep them straight; the Psy-chi club, PokeMentors, playing with the concert band, and working in the library (along with her full course-load and her sky-high GPA) took up all of her time, and summer break provided a nice break from everything. However, Leaf liked to keep herself busy, so she spent her summers at the Pokémon Shelter, crocheting, and catching up on her reading (for fun!). Dedicating herself to a Masters of Environmental Science was hard work, but she loved it. She loved researching and studying the lakes and streams, wading through the wilderness, sleeping beneath the stars…

Leaf sighed happily as the Zigzagoon returned to her, stick in mouth. She was really looking forward to this summer.

"Leaf! There's a letter for you!" a young volunteer shouted, bringing an elaborately decorated letter over to her.

Leaf furrowed her brow as she took the letter. She rarely received snail mail anymore; with technology, she didn't have to. She noted it was from Ash.

Opening it curiously, she wondered why Ash had written. It had been YEARS since she had seen him…how did he track her down? She pulled out a piece of paper as a Purrloin jumped up in her lap. Leaf scratched behind the feline's ears as she read what looked like an invitation. Her eyes widened as she read the following:

_Please join us for our wedding!_

_June 8th, 2008_

_Accumula Town, Unova _

Her jaw dropping, she looked at the invitation again, making sure she actually read what she just read. Not noticing anything different the second time around, she realized that it just said Ash was getting married.

Ash, her childhood friend, who never used to know the difference between a girlfriend and a girl friend. It just would not register in Leaf's mind.

She also noticed that it didn't say anything about who he was getting married to.

Leaf smirked. _"Maybe he finally figured Misty out," _she mused as she read the invitation for a third time, making sure that she really wasn't missing anything.

Leaf set the stray Purrloin back on the ground, and walked to find her PokeNav. Fumbling through the numbers, she couldn't find the one she was looking for, nor, did she know if she actually _wanted_ to make the call. Nonetheless, she walked into the office, grumbling how much easier it would be if they put the number on the online listing. She opened a drawer and shuffled through a phonebook until she reached the "O"'s.

She hesitantly dialed the number.

"Professor Oak? I need to talk to your grandson."

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**May 22, 2008: Professor Oak's Residence**

"Gary's out; he could be back at any time," Professor Oak said to the young woman on the phone. "Who's calling, if I may ask?"

"Who's talking about me?" Gary yelled as he slammed the door, throwing his satchel and papers down while kicking his shoes off. The professor sighed; no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't break his grandson's horrible habits, one of which was making a mess as soon as he got in the house.

"Oh dear god," Leaf whispered, causing Professor Oak to chuckle a bit before he handed the phone to his grandson.

"Hellooo, this is Gary" the Pokémon Researcher said seductively.

"Gary, it's Leaf. I can't believe I'm calling you, but…"

"I can't believe you're calling me either." Gary interrupted suggestively. "I miss you too."

Leaf scowled. She couldn't believe she used to be friends with this guy. "Gary, I'm only calling for information. Jeez, you're impossible." she muttered under her breath.

"Aww, Leafy, I'm hurt," Gary whined, "Why can't we…"

"You know what, Gary?" Leaf interrupted his stupid facade, her frustration shining through her voice. "Just let me talk to your grandpa-maybe I'll actually get to ask my question."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Seriously." he said apologetically. "Ask away."

"Did you get a wedding invitation from Ash?"

Gary furrowed his brow. "Come again?" he replied.

"I am not even kidding. I just got mine today." Leaf said, realizing how ridiculous the question itself seemed. "Just check your mail."

"Alright…give me a minute" Gary murmured as he set down the phone and walked over to the kitchen table. Sure enough, a fancy envelope addressed to _Gary Oak _was sitting there, begging to be opened. He grabbed a butter knife and opened the letter carefully as he walked back towards the phone. He stood in disbelief as he slowly picked the phone up.

"What even…" he muttered, still unsure of what he had just read.

Leaf frowned. "I'm guessing you got it?" she asked. She had thought it was a joke at first, but now she wasn't so sure.

"Yeah," he replied. "But I can't find out who he's getting married to…maybe they forgot to leave a card or something in mine…"

"No, there wasn't anything in mine either. That's why I called you. I figured you might have an idea. Maybe it was Misty?"

Leaf hoped it was Misty. That girl had it bad for Ash the last time she had seen her.

Which was almost ten years ago.

Gary frowned. "I don't know-I haven't talked to Misty in _months._" he replied. "Actually, I think Ash was in the Unova Region a few months ago, which is where this wedding is…"

Both stumped, they both promised to dig for information on the mysterious invitation.

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**May 23, 2008: Petalburg City**

A young, brunette girl was riding her bike down the street in a sunny Petalburg City. Stray strands from her messy bun flowed in the comfortable breeze. As May approached her apartment, she jumped off her bike and opened her mailbox to grab the newspaper and saw a fancy letter addressed to her from…Ash?

Closing the mailbox, she opened the letter curiously as she turned to walk up the stairs to her apartment. Before she got to look at said letter, she was greeted by Skitty at the door, rubbing against her pajama pant leg affectionately, begging to be fed. May smiled as she grabbed some food and put it in her bowl, to Skitty's relief. May sighed, smiling at the young Pokémon devouring her food. At least she still had her Pokémon. They had been nothing but helpful in her struggle with depression.

Surprisingly, they had taken her departure from coordinating very well. Not that they weren't upset-but they were concerned for their trainer's behavior.

She grabbed her bottle of Cymbalta as she walked past. Popping the cap, she grabbed a glass of water and braced herself. May dreaded swallowing pills; this was a struggle within itself.

"Take the pill and you'll feel better. It'll be over before you know it…" she mumbled to herself as she shoved the pill in her mouth and quickly gulped down water, trying to avoid the queasy feeling that occasionally accompanied the action.

She sat down, looked at the date on the newspaper, and rubbed her neck, sore with the ache of restless nights.

_May 23, 2008._

It had been 11 years since she began travelling with Ash.

3 years since graduating from high school.

1 year since she stopped coordinating.

May pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to bring herself back to reality. She couldn't dwell on the past; it always had a way of instilling anxiety within the brunette. The early days with Ash and Drew had been some of the best days of her life. Everything was so simple (well, maybe not...) and their innocence made anything seem possible. The worst of their problems were Team Rocket and defeating their rivals. May missed this more than anything.

Adulthood was hard on her. Two days after her eighteenth birthday was the accident that she struggled accepting. This next year Max would go off to college (she wasn't sure where, but the kid was smart-no, brilliant. He was destined for big things) and May wouldn't have him around to help her out on her hard days. She ate, slept, went to class, repeated (this was fairly obvious given the state of filth in her house). May's motivation was faltering; her will to even get up in the morning was a tireless facade of lying there worn, and knowing that she would have to get up eventually.

May had received a few letters from Ash, telling her about his journey and his successes. These always brought a smile to her face; Ash was one of the most driven people she knew, and it was comforting to see someone succeeding based on hard work, rather than her brother succeeding because he was a genius-not that she wasn't proud of Max, too. Speaking of Ash…her eyes moved over to the letter begging to be opened. She looked at the clock.

1:49 PM

May decided that she would take a nap, and then open the letter.

Speaking of letters, Drew had also written after she quit coordinating. Out of concern? She shook her head. They had grown…close, for the lack of a better word. They did, after all, travel together in Johto, but beyond that, had parted 5 years ago when May wanted to go to be the Kanto Top Coordinator, and Drew took his journey to Sinnoh.

_May,_

_I had heard through the grapevine that you've quit coordinating. It's a shame, really. You were (well, are) a very talented coordinator, and I'm trying to figure out what in the world could have pulled your love for coordinating from beneath you. I know we haven't talked in a while, but I can't fathom you just QUITTING. I tried to call you earlier this week, but maybe I got the wrong number from Solidad._

_Anyways, I hope all is well._

_-Drew _

The letter was rather disheartening and confusing, to be frank. If anything, Drew sounded angry, leaving May feeling frustrated and upset. He didn't know why she quit coordinating, and frankly, neither did she.

The only person she had really kept in contact with was Solidad, but May hadn't replied to her last letter for a couple months. It wasn't personal, really. May liked to think that she was too busy, but honestly, she just felt unmotivated.

May walked over to her room, deciding a nap would be a nice way to clear her head. She changed into a pair of pajama pants; it wasn't like she had anything to do today. She looked in the mirror and noted the dark circles under her makeup-free eyes. The nightmares hadn't ceased for 2 years, no matter how many different medications she tried…she had given up with insomnia MONTHS ago. Now she just accepted the horrible visions that flooded her mind at night, rather than the horrendous side effects offered by the sedatives.

However, the nightmares didn't tend to bother her as much if she took a nap in the afternoon, so the brunette plopped down and stared at the ceiling until she felt sleep take her away…

"KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK"

All of a sudden May heard someone knocking on her door. Jumping up, she wiped the drool from her face and started heading towards the door. "Who even…" she grumbled, knowing that the only two people who knew where she lived were her dad and Max.

May looked through the peep-hole, her eyes widening in shock.

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**May 23, 2008; Unknown Location**

"Shh, I think he's awake"

Everything echoed. Ash groaned as he struggled to force his eyes open. He tried to pull his hand up to touch his pounding head, but he was restrained.

He felt weak. Confused. Everything was spinning. Struggling to remain conscious, he glanced around the room.

2 figures on the ground around him. A pair of legs? At least he thought they were people; his vision was too blurry to tell. All he wanted to do was go back to sleep, but something wasn't right…where was he?

"Butterfree, use sleep powder."

Ash winced in pain; the voice bounced back and forth in his already pounding head. "No…" Ash groaned weakly, as he felt his eyes close, forcing him back into an unconscious state of mind.

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**THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING! :D**

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**Thanks for reading, and please don't hesitate to review 3**


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